Can one change WAN port to LAN port not using AiMesh and router in AP mode (not the default, initial mode).

[currter]

I was wondering if one can change or use the WAN port as another LAN
port when the router is being used in AP mode (piggyback) to extend
wireless networked using network cable and this is not using AiMesh
which can in a sense use that WAN port as a LAN port?

The router(s) is (are) in AP mode that links or uses up 1 LAN port
to connect to another "main" router so with 4 ports total for LAN,
only 3 are available to connect other ethernet-ready devices.
The WAN port goes unused so I was wondering if one can convert
it into a LAN port to connect it to the main router using ethernet
cable and on the same subnet?

If not, I will just have to get an extra 5 port or so switch to link it
into the network to expand the number of LAN ports for that particular
router from 3 available to I guess 6 would be available then
(1 used to link to main, 1 port used to connect to switch leaving 2 left
on the router and 4 left on the switch) 2+4 = 6 (before was 3).

Thank you.

 

[drinkingbird]

I was wondering if one can change or use the WAN port as another LAN
port when the router is being used in AP mode (piggyback) to extend
wireless networked using network cable and this is not using AiMesh
which can in a sense use that WAN port as a LAN port?

The router(s) is (are) in AP mode that links or uses up 1 LAN port
to connect to another "main" router so with 4 ports total for LAN,
only 3 are available to connect other ethernet-ready devices.
The WAN port goes unused so I was wondering if one can convert
it into a LAN port to connect it to the main router using ethernet
cable and on the same subnet?

If not, I will just have to get an extra 5 port or so switch to link it
into the network to expand the number of LAN ports for that particular
router from 3 available to I guess 6 would be available then
(1 used to link to main, 1 port used to connect to switch leaving 2 left
on the router and 4 left on the switch) 2+4 = 6 (before was 3).

Thank you.

In AP mode the WAN port should already be set as a LAN port now.

 

[Squall Leonhart]

In AP mode the WAN port should already be set as a LAN port now.

not the case, it remains as a vlan 2 port and the interface is not bound to br0

 

[wouterv]

I did a quick test, using my spare RT-AC1900U with firmware 3.0.0.4.386.52048.
Set the RT-AC1900U in Access Point (AP) Mode:

For my own convenience set it to manual IP:

192.168.1.1 is the RT-AC68U Main Router.
Then hardwired the WAN port of the Access Point to one of the LAN ports of the Main Router, that makes the Access Point work as desired with 4 "free" functional LAN ports.
Connecting a wired or wireless client to the Access Point gives it access to DHCP of the Main Router and access to the Internet.

WAN Port goes to the Main Router.
LAN 4 Port goes to a laptop for testing.

 

[Squall Leonhart]

WAN does not act as a LAN port in the sense you can connect a down stream device to it, you should be able to connect the LAN4 to the router and get downstream device connectivity on the wan port.

AP Mode wrongly sets the wan port as both vlan1 and vlan2, with vlan2 taking precedent, this means you're down a LAN port if you use LAG which requires 2 LAN ports on the same vlan (And why you can't set LAG on WAN and Port 1)
admin@RT-AC88U-C6C8:/tmp/home/root# robocfg show
Switch: enabled
Port 0: DOWN enabled stp: none vlan: 1 jumbo: off mac: 00:00:00:00:00:00
Port 1: 1000FD enabled stp: none vlan: 1 jumbo: off mac: 00:00:00:00:00:00
Port 2: 1000FD enabled stp: none vlan: 1 jumbo: off mac: 00:00:00:00:00:00
Port 3: 1000FD enabled stp: none vlan: 1 jumbo: off mac: 00:00:00:00:00:00
Port 4: 1000FD enabled stp: none vlan: 2 jumbo: off mac: 00:00:00:00:00:00 < WAN port
Port 5: 1000FD enabled stp: none vlan: 1 jumbo: off mac: 00:00:00:00:00:00
Port 7: 1000FD enabled stp: none vlan: 1 jumbo: off mac: 00:00:00:00:00:00
Port 8: 1000FD enabled stp: none vlan: 2 jumbo: off mac: 00:00:00:00:00:00 < Internal
VLANs: BCM5301x enabled mac_check mac_hash
1: vlan1: 0 1 2 3 4 5 7 8t
2: vlan2: 4 8u

 

[bennor]

not the case, it remains as a vlan 2 port and the interface is not bound to br0

Just an FYI, you necroposted to a post made two years ago (Jul 17, 2023)
.

 

[Squall Leonhart]

didn't ask.

 

[ColinTaylor]

not the case, it remains as a vlan 2 port and the interface is not bound to br0

This works fine on the RT-AC68U (I believe the OP had a RT-AC68R). So it's likely a bug/feature of the RT-AC88U or the way it uses a separate switch for four of its LAN ports.